'Shark Tank' investor Robert Herjavec explains why you should be wary of all business advice

People have a tendency to make legends out of highly successful
businesspeople, thinking they must
know something deep and insightful to get to the top.

Yet this is a dangerous mindset to have, said "Shark Tank"
investor Robert Herjavec.

Business Insider recently spoke with the cyber security
entrepreneur at a press conference for Deluxe's entrepreneur initiative,
Small Business
Revolution.

"You know, people always ask that question: 'What's the one piece
of advice that changes everything?'" Herjavec said. To him, that
piece of advice doesn't exist.

The most successful entrepreneurs are certainly talented and
intelligent, Herjavec explained, but it's the long
hours and tireless focus that causes them to triumph, even though
those experiences are hard to capture in a sound bite. "It's the
thousand little, non-sexy, non-exciting, mundane things that you
have to do in order to be recognized."

That doesn't mean you should disregard everything you hear or
that you shouldn't share your own insight with less experienced
colleagues.

After all, Herjavec has written two books filled with lessons
learned from founding and growing the Herjavec Group and investing
in other companies. He's just saying that there are few universal
truths in business.

If he had to offer one piece of advice, it's to "take the advice
that helps you, and discard the stuff that doesn't." In other
words, figure out what works well for you, and stick
with it.

"I do what I do well," Herjavec said. "All of the things I don't
do well, I forget!"

Ultimately, he said, "free advice is worth exactly what you've
paid for it."